Chapter 944 Early Examination
"Are you Brother Zhu?"
Feng Yian was surprised for a moment. He knew who Zhu Xiyan was and had heard that he had been impersonated before. After a thorough investigation in the palace, the Huo family was also implicated in the fraud. Old Huo was still ill and the Huo family was also full of bad luck.
His uncle had analyzed with him that the cheating incident might be related to the Southern Qi Dynasty, and also said that Zhu Xiyan was extremely powerful. If he had participated in the exam, it was not certain who would be in the top three on the list.
However, Zhu Xiyan's voice was damaged by someone and he was unable to take the exam, so the Empress sent him to Rongsheng Academy for recuperation.
Feng Yian didn't expect to see Zhu Xiyan here. Even Jin Shengyu and other students beside him looked sideways when they heard Zhu Xiyan's name.
Zhu Xiyan felt the gazes of the people around him, and in the face of their sympathy and pity, he just bowed and smiled.
Feng Yian looked at Li Chi and the others and asked, "Brother Zhu, are you also going to the palace to meet the emperor today?"
Li Chi nodded and said, "When the Empress summoned us, she specifically sent a message to Brother Zhu to come to the palace with her."
Feng Yian paused and glanced at Zhu Xiyan who looked calm. Today the Queen specially summoned the students who made the list, probably to meet them before the palace examination, but she specially called Zhu Xiyan who could not speak. It seemed that the Queen really valued this person.
Someone walked out of the palace gate, and everyone quickly stood still.
The leading eunuch raised his voice and said, "The Empress has ordered all the students to enter the palace."
…
Inside the palace gate stood tall walls, the corridor was long and wide, and the strict guards on both sides were always visible, making everyone hold their breath and dare not say a word.
Not to mention the poor children who had never entered the palace, even people like Feng Yian who came from a noble family became nervous as they got closer to the Imperial Palace.
A palace attendant led the way, and everyone stared straight ahead, not daring to look around. When they reached the Imperial Palace, the leading eunuch quickly stepped forward and said to Pan Xi, who had been waiting at the door, "Eunuch Pan, all the students who made the list have arrived."
Pan Xi swept his whisk across the room and said, "Wait here for a moment. The Queen is discussing matters with Minister Qian and the others."
Everyone said in unison: "Yes."
The weather after autumn is getting colder day by day, and the wind blowing on the body is already biting. Fortunately, the people in the hall did not talk for too long. After a cup of tea, Pan Xi came out again and led everyone inside. When they entered the hall, they could faintly smell the faint fragrance of osmanthus.
When Li Chi stepped into the hall, he noticed that Zhu Xiyan beside him paused. He turned his head and whispered, "Brother Zhu, what's wrong with you?"
Zhu Xiyan's originally pale face seemed to have a little more redness. He raised his lips to reveal a smile and shook his head to indicate that he was fine.
A group of people entered the hall in an orderly manner and saw a young woman sitting at the head of the table. She was not very old, with a face as beautiful as a crabapple in spring, but her eyebrows and eyes were cold and indifferent. She was wearing a loose brocade robe with phoenix patterns and sitting behind a horizontal table. Two people in official uniforms were standing beside her.
"salute."
As Pan Xi finished speaking, everyone knelt down and saluted.
"Greetings to Her Majesty the Queen, may Her Majesty live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years."
Tang Ning looked at the elegant group of people, and the frost in his eyes faded as he raised his lips slightly, and a little warmth came to his eyes: "Everyone, get up."
"Thank you, Queen."
Everyone stood up, and Tang Ning turned to the two people beside him and said with a smile: "How are you, are you all good?"
Feng Qiuli smiled gently and said, "The future pillar of our Great Wei, the future court official, is naturally not bad."
Qian Baokun was much more direct: "They all look quite energetic. I just hope that His Majesty will return to the capital as soon as possible to select candidates for the palace examination so that he can select a few suitable candidates to join the Ministry of Revenue and help me share the burden."
During this period, the Ministry of Revenue had one thing after another to deal with. He was so busy that he felt dizzy. Not to mention having a good rest, it was difficult for him to find a day to go home to take a bath and have a sleep. His third wife gave birth to a big fat grandson for him, but he still hasn't taken a close look at him.
Now seeing these young and strong laborers, he was so greedy that he wanted to take them back to the yamen immediately. It was a pity that they had not passed the palace examination and their rankings had not been determined, so these people had not yet officially entered the officialdom.
Tang Ning was amused by Qian Baokun: "You are so anxious, why not allocate two for you to use first?"
Qian Baokun was very excited, but looking at the bewildered students in the palace, he finally shook his head and said, "Forget it, let's wait until after the palace examination. His Majesty and his men will be entering the capital in a few days. Let's wait until after the palace examination and make a decision. Then we can have a legitimate reason."
The Ministry of Revenue is not a place you can enter casually, and the tasks we are doing now are important.
He has no legitimate reason to do so. If he gets some useless people in there, not only will they not be able to help him, but he will also have to take the blame if there is any trouble.
Tang Ning guessed Qian Baokun's thoughts, glanced at him with a smile but said nothing more. She just raised her eyes to look at the more than fifty people standing in front of the hall.
"Don't be nervous. I summoned you to the palace today just to check on you and get you accustomed to the atmosphere in the palace."
"Originally, the palace examination was supposed to be held over the next two days, and I, along with the other court officials, would examine you. However, after the great victory in the north, His Majesty has returned with his army and will arrive in the capital soon. From now on, His Majesty will be the one in charge of the court, and you will also be loyal to His Majesty."
"So I have postponed the palace examination and plan to wait until His Majesty returns to the capital, so that he can personally examine you."
Everyone present understood what the Queen meant. After all, the Queen's rule was temporary. After His Majesty returned to the capital, the power of the court would still be handed over to His Majesty. The Queen might participate in political affairs in the future, but at least His Majesty would still be the one in power on the surface.
They took the imperial examination just to have a place in the court in the future, and the person who selected them today would naturally become a half-teacher.
If the Queen gave them a test, even if they were chosen and won first place, His Majesty would not have a deep impression of them.
But if His Majesty personally selects someone, then the outstanding person will naturally leave a mark in his heart and win his favor. To the outside world, he can be regarded as the emperor's disciple, and his future career in the court will be easier.
Everyone knew the Queen's good intentions, and they all bowed quickly, "Thank you, Queen."
Tang Ning spoke a few words to everyone with a gentle expression, just to get to know them in advance, and then asked a few questions about their opinions on the previous preliminary examination, the subsequent re-examination, and the final examination. Most people were quiet and did not dare to say much, for fear of saying something wrong and annoying the Queen. However, a few people were brave enough to answer Tang Ning's questions neither humbly nor arrogantly, and spoke loudly.
Tang Ning asked Pan Xi to take the others away, leaving behind Li Chi, Feng Yian and a few others who dared to speak back. Zhu Xiyan was about to leave but was also left behind.
Several people in the hall were either listening or talking, while Zhu Xiyan was standing quietly by the side.
By the time it was over, more than half an hour had passed. Tang Ning ordered people to send them out first, then turned to look at Feng Qiuli and the others.
"how?"
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